Investing in the Teens of RBC
My name is Bob Shull, and I am the Senior High Youth Pastor here at Reston Bible Church. I am so thankful for the investment that RBC has made in the youth of our area for almost 40 years now. I am actually one of the fruits of the Youth Ministry here – having become a Christian when I was a junior at Herndon High School (back in the “Remember the Titans” era) through the ministry of Dave Wentzel, RBC’s first Youth Pastor. Since that time, many things have changed since then in our society and in our church (hair & clothing styles, the cost of gas, technology – just to mention a few). RBC, however, has continued to focus the time and energies of our Youth Staff on encouraging our families with teens, teaching and equipping our teens, and working with our teens in reaching out to their friends.
We follow the goal of the church as a whole to “know Christ and make Him known” – both in a big group and small group setting. We also have a long tradition of taking an extended time with our teens in the Word of God at our Winter Retreats and Summer Camps. We give teens an opportunity to be involved in the ministry by using their gifts in worship, drama, teaching, and in the one anothers. We are blessed to have a facility that allows us to do bigger things like “First Fruits” and “Bring It” that impact our community. We have also been blessed to go with teens on overseas mission trips to places like England, Trinidad, Croatia, Brazil, Bolivia and to stateside locations like PawPaw West VA, Chicago IL, Maysville SC, St. Louis MO and many more. It is on these trips that our teens have had to put their faith to the test and have seen God meet them there. What never ceases to amaze and motivate me is the ability of our teens to still believe and obey God in both little and big ways. Older adults can learn from them in this!
One of the greatest gifts that God has and continues to give the Youth Ministry are the many volunteers He has led to join us in reaching out to our teens and their families. It is an understatement to say that working with teens is very relational. Just like all adults, teens are looking for a place to belong, a place to wrestle out what they believe, a safe place share their thoughts and doubts and grow in their faith in God. Doing this requires us to have men and women of all ages, giftings, and personalities who have a clear love for God, a love for His Word, and a willingness to love and work with teens. Could God be nudging you to consider stepping out to join us?
The Youth Ministry is hosting our first “Youth Ministry Preview and Training Event” on Sunday June 8th, 2014. It is designed to help anyone who wants to know more about the youth ministry and is evaluating how they can serve at Reston Bible Church. Our hope is that everyone attending will get the answers they need to make that decision. We will meet at 10:30am in the front classroom of the Youth Building. Aaron Osborne and Lee Banton will give the group an overview on the who, what, and why of the Youth Ministry. It will briefly cover what we do and the strategy behind it. We will then have the group join and observe on or our Sunday morning youth gatherings – either in the Senior High (called GAP) or the Junior High (called BreakThru). These run from 11:00am to 12:15pm. Afterwards, the group will have lunch and Lee Banton and I will do the training aspect of the event. We will first cover the volunteer process; how someone becomes involved in the youth ministry. We will next cover what the volunteer roles are that we need in the Youth Ministry. We actually need not only relational people, but also those who are gifted administratively, and with specific talents – in music, drama, video, multimedia, etc. We will then go over what we see as being the essentials of youth ministry. There is not one type of person who can do youth ministry. However there are some essentials every volunteer needs to have and be growing in. Finally, we will talk about of the keys of wisdom that volunteers need to know to be effective in working with teens. It is not about just hanging out with teens – it’s helping them to individually learn how to follow Jesus in their lives.
If this sounds like something you want to explore, I would invite you to use this link to register for the “Youth Ministry Preview and Training Event” – CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Coming to this event does not mean you are committing to join the Youth Ministry volunteer staff. It will, however, allow you to hear, see, and experience what Youth Ministry at RBC looks like and be able to make an informed choice on applying to volunteer with us. It is our goal to identify those who want to join us and begin working with them over the summer to be ready by the fall. If you have any questions for want any other information, please check out the video below. You can also contact me directly at bobshull@resonbible.org.
Memorial Blood Drive for Stephen Chiang
Our next drive this Sunday (May 11, 2014 from 8:00am – 1:00pm) is extra special because it is in memory of Stephen Chiang, a faithful RBC volunteer and blood donor for many years. Stephen went home to be with the Lord last year at the early age of 34. He also served faithfully at the Welcome Desk and in our Media Ministry for many years. Stephen’s mother is planning to be there, so whether you donate or not, please feel free to drop by and wish her a happy Mother’s Day.
I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than to give the gift of life to someone in need if you are able to give and will be in town that day. If you’d like to sign up online, please click here for the online registration form. We will have two bloodmobiles, so you should be in and out within around 30 minutes.
Currently, we only have 20 of our 105 slots filled, so there’s lots of room available, especially before 10:00am and after 11:00am.
One more note: The most common reason people are not allowed to donate is due to an iron deficiency. This can easily be remedied by eating a meal of iron-rich foods the night before the drive. Here’s a list of such foods in case you struggle with this (click here to download a PDF.)
Hope to see you Sunday. Have a very blessed week.
Dale Peak, Administrator
Conversations Volunteer Needs
Conversations starts on Monday and we hope you are planning to bring your friends, co-workers & neighbors to this year’s production. Plenty of invitation cards will be available this weekend, so please grab a few when you are at services this Sunday.
We still need many volunteers to help make this event a success. Our greatest needs are:
- CHILDCARE: We need 25 more people willing to work in childcare so the parents can go enjoy the show. You can work one evening or multiple evenings. A background check is required if this is your first time serving with our Children’s Ministry. To serve, e-mail Joan Lastova. Please indicate what evening(s) you are available to serve, and what age group you prefer working with (nursery, preschool, grade school).
- BAKERS: We need 40 more people who would each be willing to bake 8 dozen cookies or brownies. All goodies are to be delivered to the church by noon on your appointed drop-off day. You can deliver your goodies to the church on your way to work if necessary – we will have a table outside the main doors. If you are delivering after 8:00 am, please drop off your goodies on the tables set up just inside the Lobby doors. You may also drop off the night before (for example if you are serving in the Coffee Shop on Monday and your day to bake is Tuesday, you can bring your baked goods Monday night. To sign up to bake, click here.
- MEALS FOR CAST AND CREW: Most of our Conversations cast and tech crew come directly from work to serve. Please consider blessing these volunteers by signing up to provide one or more food items for meals during Conversations week. To help, please click here and choose the date that is most convenient for you and to see the list of food items needed. You will be contacted with additional information as to when and where to drop off your food items.
That’s it. With your help, next week will richly bless many thousands of people by clearly sharing the good news of the gospel in a creative & contemporary way. To God be the honor and glory!
Dale Peak
Administrator
Nicaragua Bike Project
A couple weekends ago, we announced that through our SACS Thrift Store partnership, we are planning to send bicycles to the Casa Bernabe Orphanage in Nicaragua. We will do this through Verbo Ministries, a church-planting and disciple-making ministry who have partnered with the orphanage to develop a thriving bicycle shop, where orphans are discipled as they learn bike repair, sales and customer service. Nicaragua is the second poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, where 60 percent are underemployed or unemployed. The training they receive in the bike shop serves the orphans well when they enter the job market.
Here’s a sample email we received in response:
Betsy,
I totally get it. We have spent a lot of time in Uganda serving at orphanages and we have 2 boys from Uganda. Empowering people with knowledge and a sense of self worth is an invaluable asset in overcoming poverty. This ministry is a perfect fit. I love it through and through. My husband Mike had to keep telling me to be quiet during service last week when i was reading the flyer, he said my excitement was a distraction to others 
I have already gotten one bike delivered! I am going to spend the afternoon making room in the garage for more. I believe that God is going to bring many more!
On Sunday, September 15, we will be accepting bike donations for the orphanage. Bicycles can be any size, in any condition. Please bring your bike donations to the rear of the main RBC building anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. that day. Look for the cones near the Food Pantry storage shed, where a volunteer can help you unload your bike(s). Donation receipts for tax purposes will be available.
If you have three or more bikes to donate, but can’t bring them to the church, please contact Betsy Madden at betsymadden@restonbible.org or (703) 404-5034 to arrange pick-up at your home.
Food Pantry: Tears of Joy
This is Anna and Ruth with J.R., one of our Food Pantry volunteers who regularly prays for and with our guests.
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide…”
– John 15:16
One of our regular food pantry guests, Anna, had been asking for prayer for her little girl Ruth who needed a life-saving kidney transplant. Several months ago, we learned that little Ruth was very sick and the chances were very slim that a kidney would become available in time to save her life. Anna asked for prayer from some of our Food Pantry volunteers. Anna’s prayers were answered, and in only two months, a matching kidney was found for little Ruth! Even the doctors were amazed that a kidney was found so quickly. Anna has been praising the Lord, along with all those at RBC who joined her in prayer. Her faith in the Lord has been strengthened through this trial. Now, whenever Anna visits the RBC Food Pantry with her daughter, her eyes are full of tears of joy in thankfulness to the Lord.
We recently received the following note from J.R., one of our key Spanish-speaking Food Pantry Volunteers:
I just want to start this e-mail with words that the Lord put in my heart in reference to all the people involved in the food ministry from Reston Bible Church and their compassion to the hungry and needed.
“You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you…” John 15:16.
God’s Word is like refreshing rain that waters crops and seed; it brings new life to open hearts, and meets us in our needs. God has been using the food ministry at your church to bring, throughout prayers and actions, hope and new life to innumerable people coming to Reston Bible Church. We have been seen God in action. Three people accepted the Lord Jesus in their hearts. A man going blind was able to get for the first time in his life medical attention and the Church help him to get glasses that will allow him for the first time to see properly. We will be taking him at the end of the month to Washington D.C. to see if they can slow down the fact that he will go blind soon. People of the Church, PRAY for Mardoqueo. Pray that the Lord will heal his eyes and that this man will come to the Lord.
And remember that many times the Lord allow in our life difficult times, but it is always with a purpose, and that is to bring us to be part of His family. People looking at your generosity are more willing to the opening of their hearts to God’s Word. And this week a young mother came to thank us for the prayers in reference to her 5 years old daughter. When she came to us, she asked for prayers for her little girl. She was in desperate need of a kidney transplant. Well she just want this Church to know that prayers were answer by Jesus and that her little 5 years old daughter got a successfully kidney transplant and is doing very well. All Glory to God.
Please be in prayer for all that God is doing through our Food Pantry. If you would like more information on the RBC Food Pantry or would like to get involved, please visit www.restonbible.org/foodpantry.
VIDEO: Deacon Candidates Announced
On August 4, during weekend services, we announced nine deacon candidates for our Deacon Ministry. A deacon is one who serves others in the love of Christ. We believe a deacon is a unique type of servant who meets specific biblical qualifications, is examined, and then appointed to an official public position with prescribed duties given by the church elders.
The responsibilities of deacons at RBC will be primarily in two areas: To coordinate financial resources and assistance to meet the material needs of the congregation at Reston Bible Church. They will particularly extend love and care for widows and widowers within our body. The deacon candidates below have been nominated by people in our church body and interviewed by our elders:
- Dana DeKanter
- Jeff Henshaw
- Brad Hill
- Eric Korsvall
- Bill Mitchell
- Rob Persinger
- Keith Roberts
- John Smith
- Ben York
If you have any comments or input on these candidates, we would love to hear from you. Please email the elders at elders@restonbible.org with your feedback. To learn more about the Deacon Ministry at RBC, please click here.
Living Out the Gospel in International Connection Childcare
It is always a challenge to bridge the gap in International Connection, the English as a second language program at RBC. There can be language gaps, cultural gaps, faith gaps, or even gaps between kids and their childcare workers. We cannot presume that our folks have 100 percent understanding at any one time. It’s one of the frustrating/challenging/enriching aspects of ministry in the ESL world.
This past year, I had the pleasure of watching the Gospel being lived out between a kind-hearted childcare worker, L., and a 3-year-old Iranian boy, P., and his mother, M. They were new to the country and M. had signed up for English classes at the church last fall. P. did not speak a word of English, but he obediently stayed in the nursery while his mom was in classes Tuesday nights and Wednesday mornings. His mom, meanwhile, loved the community she felt in the classroom and sensed that she was gaining strength in her language acquisition.
In Jan., when M. and P. returned for the spring semester of classes, P. suddenly had a change of heart. He began to have panic attacks every time his mom left him in the charge of the childcare workers. These attacks were not just mild, they entailed kicking and screaming! This was a shock to the childcare workers who had seen a quiet and happy child in the fall transition to a very upset little boy in the new year. His mother was equally shocked to see this new behavior! She was unable to leave P. in the nursery without quite a bit of drama. Though it is against program policy to allow a child to stay in the classroom, it was allowed for a short time just to give him a chance to see that she was alive and well, not far away. But this was not a long-term solution. M. stopped coming to classes out of frustration.
One childcare worker, L., decided that she was going to find a way to bridge this new gap in the relationship. She decided to visit the Iranian mother and her son in their home, along with her own little daughter, in order to show them that she was a friend and not someone to be feared. They started to have little coffee times and lunches together to foster friendship and to also get to know one another’s culture. The Iranian mother confessed that she knew she was going to have to put her son into a preschool sooner or later and had no idea how to go about selecting one in the area. She was stymied with many other aspects of living in this country, so L. decided to be as helpful as possible in bridging the many gaps in M.’s understanding. This led to more and more conversations on various topics. Inevitably, M. wanted to know more about this church and about L.’s faith. What an amazing road to deep conversation that started from a seemingly insurmountable problem in the nursery!
L. is praying about how and when to give her whole testimony to M. With the help of some outside resources she trusts that the language and faith barriers will be bridged because now they have a foundation of trust and friendship to build on. Isn’t it amazing that God has used this former difficulty for His good and His purposes?
Countdown to Kids Camp 2013!
With less than two weeks to go, preparations for Kids Camp 2013, The R.O.C.K., are coming along great. We are quickly filling up and we have only a few days left for registration. So, here are my two messages for you and your children and any friends they’d like to invite.
1. Registration for Kids Camp 2013 closes this Monday (June 17) at 9 AM so please if you haven’t registered yet or if your child has friends they’d like to invite, please register ASAP at https://www.restonbible.org/kidscamp (If money is tight, you may apply for scholarship by emailing me.)
2. We need more VOLUNTEERS! We need at least 80 more volunteers in order to handle the 500+ children who will be in attendance at Kids Camp this year. Men, take your mornings off that week to come lead a group of young people. Women, get to know the other moms of the church in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. We need small group leaders, photographers, welcome team, break-down team, and more. Don’t miss this opportunity. Register now at https://www.restonbible.org/kidscamp and click on “Click here to Volunteer”.
Guilford Elementary Summer Volunteers
Guilford Elementary is in need of volunteers during their July summer school lunch program. Duties include, serving lunch, directing children and families to their lunch tables, help dismissing students after lunch and taking students to alternate activities after they have finished eating.
The dates are July 1 through July 26 (19 days total). Hours are from 11:30am-1:30pm. Ages 16 and older can volunteer, and younger children serving with a parent are welcome to help out as well. We are looking for 10-15 volunteers to serve each day, so if you can volunteer for any of the days, your help would be greatly appreciated. For more information, please e-mail Betsy Madden.
You can click here to sign up to volunteer.
Click here to learn more about our partnership with Guilford Elementary School.
Good Samaritan Advocates Legal Clinic
Reston Bible Church is partnering with Good Samaritan Advocates to serve our low income neighbors who face legal problems and economic straits by providing free legal and practical guidance in a Christ-centered atmosphere. Legal clinics will be held at RBC every third Saturday of each month. An open house/orientation for the Legal Clinic will be held at RBC on Saturday, June 15th at 9:00am
There are volunteer opportunities in many areas including hospitality, administrative, translators, paralegal and attorneys! If you might be interested in volunteering at one of our monthly legal clinics, please come to our orientation on Saturday 6/15 where the attorneys can explain the details of the clinic and answer any of your questions. E-mail Betsy Madden or visit https://www.restonbible.org/legalclinic for more information.